May 17, 2026

 

My first 100 have been filled with many first steps. Quite literally, I have come to love walking throughout the Archdiocese of New York. Each day I walk to the office, often stopping along the way to meet people. The graciousness has been extraordinary. Time and again, I am greeted with the same kindness: Welcome to New York. We are so happy you are here. It is a gift freely given, not earned, and what a beautiful gift that is.

 

Often, when I have a little free time, I slip on a baseball cap, a sweatshirt, and sunglasses, and simply walk, blending in, watching, listening, and observing. The Archdiocese of New York is a place where people from across the world come to live, work, and worship, and I find great joy in its energy, its rhythm, and even the occasional slice of pizza. Sometimes I walk with a destination in mind. At other times, I simply follow the life of the neighborhoods around me wherever they lead. In these moments, I am reminded of the richness and diversity of the people who make up this Archdiocese, from the busy streets of Manhattan to the communities spread across the boroughs and counties that we serve together.

 

Those early walks revealed what I would experience in an even more powerful way on February 6. My installation Mass was electric. Many people and media reflected on a line in my homily when I said that we are a missionary Church, not a country club. A country club exists to care for its members. The Church exists to serve others. That conviction has only deepened in these first months. I have witnessed a living faith in action across the Archdiocese of New York through worship, ministries, education, formation, a deep respect for the dignity of every human life, and a steadfast outreach to the poor and marginalized.

 

I have visited many places and have listed some of those visits in the sidebar of this article. As you read it, you might think that I have gone to many places but not yet to yours. That will take time as I begin day 101 and beyond. Please know that I look forward to meeting you, whether in a parish, a school, a ministry, or a neighborhood anywhere within the Archdiocese of New York, particularly, now that the warm weather is here, in our upper counties. I anticipate those encounters, and I am eager to hear how you are contributing to the life and mission of this local Church.

 

Alongside these ministries and visits, some people have asked whether I take time to enjoy the cultural life found within the Archdiocese. The answer is yes. During March Madness, I attended a St. John’s basketball game at Madison Square Garden, my first time there, and I was also blessed with tickets to La Traviata at the Met, a truly generous gift. These experiences, like my walks, remind me of the beauty and vitality present throughout this Archdiocese. There is so much to see and experience across our communities, and I look forward to discovering even more in the months ahead. I also look forward to traveling to Rome in June to meet Pope Leo, to receive the pallium, and to hear his guidance for the Church entrusted to us here in New York.

 

As I look ahead, I keep returning to a simple image: walking. Walking these streets. Walking through our parishes and communities. Walking with one another. Walking in faith. United with the heart of Jesus, seeking the will of the Father and following the witness of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. The first 100 days are only the beginning. There is much to do, and there are many complex challenges before us, but God’s grace is greater.

So let us continue, step by step, moving forward together, on mission.

 

† Most Reverend Ronald Hicks
Archbishop of New York